The crowding-out effect of housing subsidies on parental support: evidence from Japanese mortgage tax credits

Children may receive monetary transfers from their parents when they attempt to purchase a home. This raises the question of whether a homeownership-related subsidy provided by government displaces transfers received from parents. The purpose of this paper is to examine this question empirically, using a sample of Japanese home-buying households that are benefiting from a mortgage tax credit (MTC) as a model case. In the empirical analysis, we offer a test of the effect of the MTC on both the extensive and the intensive margins using the overall sample as well as subsample groups. The empirical results, which use the full sample, indicate that the MTC crowds out parental transfers on both the extensive and the intensive margins. In particular, the estimates of the latter suggest an approximately 100 % displacement. Subsample analysis demonstrates that the crowding-out effect is strengthened when children are young, are of low-income group, and are living in the rental sector previously.     

A simple diagnostic method for plasma jet in strong magnetic field

An experimental study was carried out to examine the effect of strong magnetic field on the characteristics of argon plasma jet. An approximate expression was introduced to the distribution of emission line intensity and the color intensity. The distribution of the emission intensity was compared to that of the color intensity. The modified profiles of the spectral intensity agree well with those of the color intensity. The two-point analysis, that is, a calculation method with only two selected wavelengths in Boltzmann plots, was selected in the evaluation of excitation temperature because the calculation becomes significantly simple. The lateral distribution of excitation temperature obtained from the modified intensity becomes more accurate than that without the approximation. The radial distributions of excitation temperature based on the Abel inversion can be determined by the present approximation. It is found that the simple diagnostic method can utilize for understanding the characteristics on plasma jet.     

Shock structure deformation in plasma jet caused by strong magnetic field

The shock structure deformation in a plasma jet caused by a strong magnetic field was studied using an optical method. The plasma jet images in the enclosing vacuum chamber were taken with a digital single-lens reflex camera through a viewing window. Since the relative values of the measured light intensity are known to have a strong correlation with the number density of excited atoms, the vertical distribution of light intensity can be converted to a radial distribution of excited atom density using an Abel-inversion. The results of this conversion with a magnetic field were compared in the present experiments with those without the presence of a field. It is possible to obtain a smooth radial distribution of estimated number density using an approximate line. The density along the centerline increases obviously with the magnetic field. The minimal density point around the Mach disk was moved slightly upstream with the application of the field. The density distribution inside of the jet boundary was changed considerably by the application of the strong field. The jet boundary itself was not found to be affected significantly by the field although the boundary was found to be slightly contracted to the center axis with application of the field. It has been confirmed that the density distributions are mainly affected by the magnetic field at the corresponding location.     

Abundant proteins associated with lecithin in soy protein isolate

A new method for fractionating acid-precipitated soy proteins, so called soy protein isolate, involving three step acidification of a water extract of defatted soy flour was developed. Soy protein isolate was shown to be mostly composed of not only β-conglycinin and glycinin, but also a group of lipophilic proteins associated with lecithin (phospholipids). The proportions of three major proteins were 23%, 46%, and 31%, respectively. The proportions changed as the nitrogen solubility index (NSI) of defatted soy flour changed. The yield of lipophilic proteins depended on the NSI of defatted soy flour, different from those of β-conglycinin and glycinin. The variation in the proportions of the three major proteins may be due to the yield of lipophilic proteins.     

Efficient preparation of novel fluoroalkyl end‐capped oligomers/titanium dioxide nanocomposites

Novel fluoroalky end‐capped oligomers/titanium dioxide nanocomposites were prepared by the hydrolysis of titanium isopropoxide in the presence of fluoroalkyl end‐capped N‐(1,1‐dimethyl‐3‐oxobutyl)acrylamide oligomer [R_F‐(DOBAA)_n‐R_F], fluoroalkyl end‐capped N,N‐dimethylacrylamide oligomer [R_F‐(DMAA)_n‐R_F], and fluoroalkyl end‐capped acrylic acid oligomer [R_F‐(ACA)_n‐R_F] in tetrahydrofuran under mild conditions. In these fluorinated oligomers, R_F‐(ACA)_n‐R_F oligomer is more effective for the preparation of the corresponding oligomers/titanium dioxide nanocomposites, and this oligomer can afford the expected fluorinated titanium dioxide nanocomposites in higher isolated yields. In addition, R_F‐(ACA)_n‐R_F/titanium dioxide composites are nanometer size‐controlled very fine nanoparticles (14–48 nm), and exhibited a good dispersibility not only in water but also in traditional organic solvents. Fluoroalkyl end‐capped oligomers/titanium dioxide nanocomposites were also applied to the surface modification of the common organic polymers such as poly(methyl methacrylate) to exhibit a good oleophobic and hydrophilic characteristics on the surface. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Gelation effect on the synthesis of high-aspect-ratio gold nanorods

The growth process of high-aspect-ratio gold nanorods in gelled surfactant solution was studied. As for the application of gold nanorods, the surface plasmon is quite useful, whose absorption depends on their aspect ratio. Hence it is important to synthesize gold nanorods with favorable aspect ratio in high yield. For shorter nanorods (aspect ratio < -10), the synthesis and the growth mechanism have been studied well. For the longer nanorods (aspect ratio > -30), however, the growth mechanism has not yet been understood well, although it has been known that the high-aspect-ratio gold nanorods could be synthesized in high yield in gelled surfactant solution. In this paper, we studied the relationship between the growth process of high-aspect-ratio gold nanorods and the gelation of surfactant growth-solution. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed the microscopic feature of gelation as the structural transition of self-assembly of surfactant molecules from micellar to lamellar. These results will be helpful for better understanding on the growth mechanism of high-aspect-ratio gold nanorods.     

Improvement of chromatic aberration of a plastic rod lens array. 1. Combination-color lens arrays consisting of several kinds of rod lenses with different gradient constants and different color filter functions

We propose a new type of rod lens array with improved chromatic aberration. The new rod lens array consists of several kinds of rod lenses with different gradient constants and different color filter functions. The gradient constant of each lens was prepared such that the total conjugate length was identical to the specific wavelength of the lens with a constant lens length. We call our new type of rod lens array a combination-color lens array. The characteristics of this color-type lens array are as follows: high angular aperture, short focal length, and ease of production with established procedures. The optical resolution of the rod lens array is 300 dpi in a wide wavelength range that is high enough to be applied to color scanners.     

Causes and characteristics of the electromagnetic vibration of a capacitor motor under load

Capacitor motors (CRMs) are widely used to drive industrial equipment and home electric appliances. Recently, reduction of the vibration and noise of CRMs has become increasingly important from the standpoint of environmental improvement. However, electromagnetic vibration of CRMs under load has not been sufficiently analyzed. The present paper theoretically and experimentally discusses the causes and characteristics of CRM electromagnetic vibration under load. The primary conclusions are as follows:

• (1) The general formula for the dominant electromagnetic vibration caused by electromagnetic force waves was derived, including the influences not only of a backward magnetic field but also of magnetic saturation.
• (2) The dominant electromagnetic vibration of CRMs is theoretically attributed to three types of electromagnetic force waves. Two types of electromagnetic force wave are generated by the interaction of two forward magnetic fluxes, such as those of a three‐phase squirrel‐cage induction motor, and the other type of electromagnetic force wave is generated under the influence of a backward magnetic flux.
• (3) The characteristics of the dominant electromagnetic vibration depending on the load and the running capacitance are subdivided theoretically and experimentally into three types based on the characteristics of the electromagnetic force wave and the equivalent circuit current.
• (4) The influences of magnetic saturation in dominant electromagnetic vibration have been verified experimentally and their causes have been clarified theoretically in relation to electromagnetic force waves. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 153(4): 68–76, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20129

     

Arsenic extraction from solid phase using a dissimilatory arsenate-reducing bacterium

We investigated the feasibility of a novel bioremedial strategy for arsenic-contaminated soil using a dissimilatory arsenate-reducing bacterium (DARB), Bacillus sp. SF-1. SF-1 was able to effectively extract arsenic from various arsenic-laden solids, via the reduction of solid-phase arsenate to arsenite, which is much less adsorptive than arsenate. The strain can be an easy-to-handle, and cost-effective bioremedial agent.